This invention relates to fuel injector assemblies on cylinder heads in internal combustion engines, including but not limited to injector clamps that fasten fuel injectors to the cylinder head.
The assembly of fuel injectors onto a cylinder head and the use of hold down clamps to secure the injector into the cylinder head are well known. Existing devices used to hold down or secure fuel injectors to cylinder heads are often impractical because such devices tend to be bulky, thereby adding to the crowding of components in the limited space on a cylinder head. Also, during disassembly or removal of the fuel injector from the cylinder head, the use of previous clamps typically requires that a tool pries the fuel injector from the cylinder head. Prying the fuel injector from the cylinder head frequently results in a damaged injector. Further, because the space around the fuel injector on the cylinder head is very limited, difficulty is encountered in prying the fuel injector from the cylinder head.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,431,152 titled xe2x80x9cInjector Hold Down Clampxe2x80x9d describes a compact clamp assembly that allows for disassembly of a fuel injector from a cylinder head without the need to pry the fuel injector from the cylinder head. This patent describes the use of a bolt with a clamp and a retainer ring that holds the bolt to the clamp during injector removal. Nevertheless, the retainer ring could separate from the bolt, resulting in the need to manually pry the fuel injector from the cylinder head.
Accordingly, there is a need for an injector hold down clamp that provides for removal of the fuel injector from the cylinder head without the need to pry the fuel injector from the cylinder head and providing enhanced retention of the bolt in the clamp.
An apparatus includes a clamp for use with a device, such as a fuel injector, disposed with a platform, such as a cylinder head. The clamp has a passage that includes a conical surface. A fastener is disposed within the passage of the clamp and has an annular groove. A retaining ring is disposed in the annular groove. The retaining ring is secured between the conical surface of the clamp and the annular groove when the fastener is removed from the platform, such as a cylinder head, to thereby allow the apparatus to be removed together with the device, such as a fuel injector.